Bicycle Mechanics - What's the best way to remove dust caps without destroying them?

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FastJake
01-12-11, 11:48 PM
More than once I have been disassembling a wheel to clean and repack the bearings, and totally bent up the dust cap so that it no longer fits as it's supposed to. How can I avoid doing this? They're so flexible and fragile. I use a large, slotted screwdriver and pry in different locations as carefully as possible but sometimes they still get bent. I like to remove the caps because it allows me to clean the hub much better.

dddd
01-13-11, 12:52 AM
It's almost impossible to remove and replace the dust caps without damage in most cases.

I always leave them in place and just swab out the bearing area with a rag. You can get the insides pretty clean if you work the rag in there and turn the hub, but it takes a few tries before the rag comes out clean.
Watch for sharp edges when putting your finger in under the dust cap.